My Top 5 Essentials for Creative Businesses. 

April 20, 2020 | category: tools for creatives

Many creative entrepreneurs are a one person show and wear ALL the hats in their business (I know I do!), so having the right tools & programs to keep our businesses running smoothly is essential. Luckily, there are TONS of programs out there designed to make our lives easier - but it can be tricky to dig through the masses and figure out what you really need. I made this list of my 5 can't-live-withouts, so you can get started with the programs that are most beneficial & in some cases, a downright ESSENTIAL. Let's dive in to my top 5 tools & resources for creatives!

I firmly believe every small business owner needs a good client management system to stay organized. Honeybook is my preferred system for a few reasons:

- It's incredibly user-friendly and intuitive to learn how to use! They have tons of resources from videos to PDFs to learn how to use it to the fullest.
- The interface is BEAUTIFUL. I'm a sucker for aesthetics, and want everything I send to my clients to be well-designed and on-brand. Honeybook makes it easy!
- You can manage your projects, be reminded when you need to send certain emails, send contracts/invoices, and get paid for your work.

& so much more!

a few of my favorite tools & resources to help keep your business running smoothly.

a good client management system.

quickbooks.

Let's talk about taxes. But briefly, because they're hands down my least favorite part of being self-employed. My first year in business, I used a giant Excel document to track my expenses and payments and when I handed it over to my accountant, he pretty much laughed at me. I was recommended to try Quickbooks, and I've never looked back. You can see all of your transactions in one place, and swipe left or right for business/personal. It's basically like the Tinder of tax prep — trust me, you need it.

A well-designed, easy to navigate website is absolutely essential for any business owner who offers a service or product! Your website should be a reflection of you, your brand, and what you offer. After a couple of years on a different platform that I never fully got the hang of, I switched to Showit — and you guys, I cannot sing their praises enough! I built this website you're looking at right now by myself and it was incredibly easy thanks to their drag & drop platform. You don't have to be a designer to create something beautiful on Showit!

For years, I've heard the advice over & over again: "You need to create an email list", and I put it on my never ending to-do list but honestly? I had no clue how. As someone who mainly reaches my followers through social media, the constant Instagram algorithm changes are frustrating to say the least — but with an email list, you can show up for your followers without having to play games with an algorithm or wonder if people will even see your post. I use Flodesk to manage my email list, and it is SO worth the subscription! If you're on the fence about starting an email list, try Flodesk. It is SO easy to build beautiful emails that your list will actually be excited to open. 

A good website.

There you have it! A few of my must-have resources as a creative entrepreneur. If you liked this post, be sure to join my email list for more educational content just like this.

xo anna elizabeth

email marketing - flodesk.

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know how OBSESSED I am with Canva. Even though I'm a photographer, I actively avoid Photoshop whenever possible — and don't even get me started on the maze that is InDesign. Canva makes it easy to create beautiful designs & marketing materials for your business. I use it to create client guides (like my pricing guides — newly released!), Instagram stories, social media posts, mood-boards, and so much more.

Canva. 

I remember the days of trying to manage my bookings by myself and it was a nightmare, so when I say that Honeybook has changed my life — I mean it. If you're looking for the right system to manage your clients & bookings, use my code for a free trial and 50% a whole year (thats $200!)